<p>For a lay sports enthusiast, the medical significance of massage therapy largely remains unknown. The profession tends to get scant attention from sports followers, who are primarily focused on the on-field action. It is in this niche line of job that Navnita Gautam is breaking stereotypes.</p>.<p>When the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) dominate their opponents, you can see Navnita cheering the boys from the dugout. Behind the scenes, the sports massage therapist is a thorough professional, helping the players get back on their feet after a gruelling encounter.</p>.<p>When Navnita decided to move from Canada to India to follow her interests, she faced resistance from her parents. There were self-doubts about a woman’s role in a men’s team. The cultural shift was a challenge. So how did she manage to fit into a ‘different world’?</p>.<p>Excerpts from the interview: </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Canada isn’t known for cricket. What attracted you to the game?</strong></p>.<p>My dad is originally from India. He is a huge cricket fan. Even after moving to Canada in 1989, he continued to wake up at 4 in the morning to watch India play matches in all formats. As a little girl, I would join him and I quickly got fascinated by the spirit of the game.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did your tryst with massage therapy begin?</strong> </p>.<p>I was very interested in understanding muscle quality, muscle activation, functional patterns, and different types of soft tissue-release work (pre, mid, and post-game). I’m a certified athletic therapist from Canada and I completed my degrees in Kinesiology followed by athletic therapy. Growing up, I loved coaching basketball so I have coached at a provincial level.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How challenging was it to convince your parents about your shift to India?</strong> </p>.<p>It was very difficult. When I made my decision to go to India to fulfill my dream of working in the IPL, my parents weren’t very happy. They warned me that it is going to be a culture shock. I thought my goal of working with a men’s team will never be fulfilled. I’ve always wondered why women can’t work with a men’s team, especially in Asia and thus I wanted to break stereotypes and barriers. So I still took the step and moved to India in 2017. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>What were your apprehensions when you decided to move to India?</strong> </p>.<p>I was anxious about the language barrier. I wondered how people would react to my treatment. Since I was working in rural areas in India in my initial days, I was a bit scared of how people would comment on the way I provide treatment, especially to men.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did you adjust to the culture and everyday life of India?</strong></p>.<p>I accepted the fact that in order for me to succeed in India I have to adapt and adhere to the rules and regulations here. I learned to embrace the culture, people, and food. What impressed me most about India was its hospitality. There were times when I was staying with distant family friends and relatives. It was very different but I learned so much about family values.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Before the IPL, you worked in the Global T20 Canada League? How was the experience?</strong></p>.<p>Global T20 Canada League was an awesome experience! I have to thank Yuvraj Singh, Amit Aggarwal, and Komal Aggarwal for roping me in the support staff of the Toronto Nationals. I got to treat some amazing cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Brendon McCullum, Kieron Pollard, who were very supportive and kind.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>A lot has been spoken about gender roles and gender preferences for physiological treatments. How did you succeed in your role in a team filled with male players?</strong></p>.<p>My challenge was to create an environment in which the players were comfortable with me, especially to those who have a strong cultural background. I also made sure to give each player his space and I was always there to lend a hand whenever they needed me. I was fortunate enough to have gained 20 brothers in RCB who always looked out for me and trusted my work. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did you develop a rapport with players? What have been your learnings at RCB?</strong></p>.<p>Honestly, the answer is to be a good listener. At the end of the day, every player has a specific way of getting each muscle treated and stretched pre/post-match and they know their bodies very well. My job is to listen to them and fulfill what works best for them and to facilitate their healing process. </p>
<p>For a lay sports enthusiast, the medical significance of massage therapy largely remains unknown. The profession tends to get scant attention from sports followers, who are primarily focused on the on-field action. It is in this niche line of job that Navnita Gautam is breaking stereotypes.</p>.<p>When the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) dominate their opponents, you can see Navnita cheering the boys from the dugout. Behind the scenes, the sports massage therapist is a thorough professional, helping the players get back on their feet after a gruelling encounter.</p>.<p>When Navnita decided to move from Canada to India to follow her interests, she faced resistance from her parents. There were self-doubts about a woman’s role in a men’s team. The cultural shift was a challenge. So how did she manage to fit into a ‘different world’?</p>.<p>Excerpts from the interview: </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Canada isn’t known for cricket. What attracted you to the game?</strong></p>.<p>My dad is originally from India. He is a huge cricket fan. Even after moving to Canada in 1989, he continued to wake up at 4 in the morning to watch India play matches in all formats. As a little girl, I would join him and I quickly got fascinated by the spirit of the game.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did your tryst with massage therapy begin?</strong> </p>.<p>I was very interested in understanding muscle quality, muscle activation, functional patterns, and different types of soft tissue-release work (pre, mid, and post-game). I’m a certified athletic therapist from Canada and I completed my degrees in Kinesiology followed by athletic therapy. Growing up, I loved coaching basketball so I have coached at a provincial level.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How challenging was it to convince your parents about your shift to India?</strong> </p>.<p>It was very difficult. When I made my decision to go to India to fulfill my dream of working in the IPL, my parents weren’t very happy. They warned me that it is going to be a culture shock. I thought my goal of working with a men’s team will never be fulfilled. I’ve always wondered why women can’t work with a men’s team, especially in Asia and thus I wanted to break stereotypes and barriers. So I still took the step and moved to India in 2017. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>What were your apprehensions when you decided to move to India?</strong> </p>.<p>I was anxious about the language barrier. I wondered how people would react to my treatment. Since I was working in rural areas in India in my initial days, I was a bit scared of how people would comment on the way I provide treatment, especially to men.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did you adjust to the culture and everyday life of India?</strong></p>.<p>I accepted the fact that in order for me to succeed in India I have to adapt and adhere to the rules and regulations here. I learned to embrace the culture, people, and food. What impressed me most about India was its hospitality. There were times when I was staying with distant family friends and relatives. It was very different but I learned so much about family values.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>Before the IPL, you worked in the Global T20 Canada League? How was the experience?</strong></p>.<p>Global T20 Canada League was an awesome experience! I have to thank Yuvraj Singh, Amit Aggarwal, and Komal Aggarwal for roping me in the support staff of the Toronto Nationals. I got to treat some amazing cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Brendon McCullum, Kieron Pollard, who were very supportive and kind.</p>.<p class="Question"><strong>A lot has been spoken about gender roles and gender preferences for physiological treatments. How did you succeed in your role in a team filled with male players?</strong></p>.<p>My challenge was to create an environment in which the players were comfortable with me, especially to those who have a strong cultural background. I also made sure to give each player his space and I was always there to lend a hand whenever they needed me. I was fortunate enough to have gained 20 brothers in RCB who always looked out for me and trusted my work. </p>.<p class="Question"><strong>How did you develop a rapport with players? What have been your learnings at RCB?</strong></p>.<p>Honestly, the answer is to be a good listener. At the end of the day, every player has a specific way of getting each muscle treated and stretched pre/post-match and they know their bodies very well. My job is to listen to them and fulfill what works best for them and to facilitate their healing process. </p>